With printed technology, the current practice is to position what may be referred to as printing sleeves on impression cylinders of a printing machine. These printing sleeves allow a smooth and jolt-free rolling of the cylinders of a printing machine that are involved in printing. Where printing machines of variable format are concerned, two printing sleeves are positioned one above the other on the impression cylinders. An outer printing sleeve forms a printing surface and an inner printing sleeves serving for diameter compensation between the outer printing sleeve and the respective impression cylinder of the printing machine. In this case, an outer printing sleeve forming a printing surface usually has a small wall thickness, whereas the inner printing sleeve serving for diameter compensation between the outer printing sleeve and the respective impression cylinder has a greater wall thickness, depending on the difference in diameter between the respective impression cylinder and the outer printing sleeve.
When carrying out a production change between two different printing orders, it is necessary to change at least the outer printing sleeve forming the printing surface. In the case of a production change between two printing orders that are characterized by the same printing format, only the outer printing sleeve has to be changed. If, however, the two printing orders also differ from one another in terms of their printing format, then the inner printing sleeve also has to be exchanged in addition to the outer printing sleeve.
During the production change, new printing sleeves must be moved up to the printing units of the printing machine and old or spent printing sleeves must be moved away from the printing machine. The movement of the printing sleeves towards and away from the printing machine takes place via corresponding printing sleeve transport apparatuses.
A change station for sleeves of printing machines is disclosed in DE 101 12 522 C2. The change station includes a lifting platform and a carriage. Avertically adjustable shelf with carrying mandrels for receiving the sleeves is mounted vertically displaceably in the carriage. The carrying mandrels for receiving the sleeves are set up in such a way that the sleeves are mounted and transported in the carriage in a horizontal position, i.e. with their longitudinal mid-axis running horizontally. Such a horizontal mounting of the sleeves may lead to a deformation of the sleeves, particularly when the horizontal mounting takes place for a lengthy period of time. This is undesirable. Furthermore, the carriage according to DE 101 12 522 C2 has greatly restricted functionality.